This invention relates to a water filtration apparatus which is designed specifically for reducing contaminants in water employed for household use or the like. Although many applications for the apparatus of this invention will be obvious, the apparatus is particularly suitable for providing improved drinking water both from the standpoint of health and safety and also from the standpoint of providing more taste-satisfying drinks.
Various attempts have been made to provide means for achieving removal of contaminants from water. The most pertinent of such means include the provision of filter cartridges or the like which are associated with pitchers or similar water containers. The user will pour the tap water into a reservoir or other funnel-type structure, and the cartridge is arranged so that the water must pass through the cartridge before entering the pitcher.
Filtering material which may comprise a combination of a resin and activated carbon is located within the cartridge so that the water will contact the filtering material before entering the pitcher. The resin and carbon media serves to attract various elements typically found in tap water such as lead and chlorine whereby the water is cleansed before entering the pitcher.
Examples of prior art structures of the general type discussed include U.S. Pat. No. 8,374 which issued in 1834 as well as subsequently issued U.S. Pat. Nos. 417,070; 967,905; 2,335,458; 2,376,410 and 4,693,874.
U.S. Pat. No. 417,070 is of interest in view of the inclusion of interior barrier walls which direct the flow of water within a combination reservoir and filter structure. With this arrangement, the water flowing through the filter is directed along a sinuous path for purposes of achieving extended contact between the water and filtering material while somewhat limiting the size of the filter itself.